Percussion is a method of tapping body parts with fingers, hands, or small instruments as part of a physical examination. It is done to determine: The size, consistency, and borders of body organs. The presence or absence of fluid in body areas.

What is percussion in nursing used for?

Percussion

Percussion involves tapping your fingers or hands quickly and sharply against parts of the patient's body to help you locate organ borders, identify organ shape and position, and determine if an organ is solid or filled with fluid or gas.

Why do we Percuss the lungs?

Normal: The lung is filled with air (99% of lung is air). Hence, percussion of it gives a resonance. This step helps identify areas of lung devoid of air.